Yellowhammer cookie

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yellowhammer cookie
TypeCookie
CourseDessert
Place of originMontgomery, Alabama
Main ingredients
  • Peanuts
  • Pecans
  • Oats
  • Honey
  • Peanut butter

A yellowhammer cookie is a type of stuffed drop cookie containing peanuts, pecans, oats, honey and peanut butter. Invented for a school baking competition, it became the official state cookie of Alabama later that year. The recipe includes locally relevant ingredients and is named after Alabama's state bird.

History[edit]

Yellowhammer cookies are named after the yellowhammer, the state bird of Alabama

The yellowhammer cookie was invented in 2023 by elementary student Mary Claire Cook as part of a baking competition for her fourth grade class. The students were competing to create a cookie recipe that represented the state of Alabama, which Cook won.[1] The recipe includes ingredients associated with the agricultural history of Alabama, including oats,[2] peanuts, which are the state's official legume, and pecans, which are its official nut.[3] The class contacted State House Representative Reed Ingram who sponsored a bill to make Cook's recipe the official state cookie of Alabama.[4] On June 2, 2023, the bill was signed into law by Governor Kay Ivey.[5] Cook attended the ceremony.[6] The name comes from the state bird of Alabama, the yellowhammer.[7]

Description[edit]

Yellowhammer cookies are drop cookies, made with a dough of flour, butter, brown sugar, oats, pecans, eggs, and vanilla. After baking, two cookies are sandwiched around a peanut butter and honey filling.[8][9]


References[edit]

  1. ^ Hagler, Carolyn. "This Fourth Grader Created Alabama's New Official State Cookie". Smithsonian. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  2. ^ "Alabama's official state cookie is created by 4th grader Mary Claire Cook". NPR. June 6, 2003.
  3. ^ "What is a 'Yellowhammer' cookie?". WDTN. June 3, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  4. ^ Pitts, Sally (May 17, 2023). "4th grader's recipe could be Alabama's official state cookie". WSFA. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  5. ^ Darrington, Patrick (June 5, 2023). "Ivey signs bill making Yellowhammer Cookie official state cookie". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  6. ^ "Alabama governor signs legislation naming Yellowhammer Cookie as official state cookie". AP News. June 2, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  7. ^ "Yellowhammer Cookie is now the official Alabama state cookie". WAKA 8. June 2, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  8. ^ Cook, Mary Claire (May 30, 2023). "Jonathan Harrison: Alabama Yellowhammer Cookie". WBRC. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  9. ^ "What is a 'Yellowhammer' cookie? Nutty treat becomes Alabama's newest state symbol". ABC 27. June 3, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.